For freelancers and contractors communication is vital. Whether it’s general face-to-face conversations in the workplace, email correspondence or phone-based verbal exchanges, it’s important to ensure that we get the best out of each one of them.
For some, maintaining the right level of etiquette seems to come naturally, but for many people good manners don’t come ‘as standard’. The politeness issue hasn’t become any easier over time with new methods of communication creating new minefields that need to be traversed. One false move and you could explode into a flaming ball of social ineptitude!
As an individual freelancer or contractor you are the brand and the business and you must maintain your aura of respectability across all forms of communication.
### Email etiquette
Perhaps the best approach to take with email is the same approach you would take if someone told you that you were on speakerphone. Tread carefully and responsibly. Be respectful, friendly and approachable — and assume that someone else may end up reading it.
Positivity is also important. If there is an awkward situation to resolve — perhaps it’s a client non-payment — then maintain that positivity via email. If it’s an issue that needs to be resolved as a matter of priority, then this communication needs to be done either face-to-face or over the phone.
However, the first thing to take care of is actually responding. If someone sends you an email, ensure you respond promptly. Don’t simply put it to one side and decide to act on it at ‘some other point.’ Like tomorrow, that point may never come.
If you are due to go on holiday, or will be unreachable for a certain period of time, then leave a message to say so and detail when you will be back online. This will avoid inadvertently snubbing an important contact.
Getting the tone right can sometimes be difficult in the written form. What may be intended as a laidback, cool response could come across as blunt and humourless. So always ensure what you say reads as being positive and interested. In some cases exclamation marks can be a big help! Or smilies 
### Telephonic politeness
The first rule is: if the phone rings, pick it up. As with emails, if someone leaves you a message, or you’ve promised to call someone, ensure that you make that call or respond to that message. If you don’t you’ll be quickly labelled as unreliable.
As a working freelancer you’ll be talking to someone on the phone about business. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask how someone is or how their day has been etc. Basic social etiquette applies. Even the most time-stretched freelancer has to make time for social norms.
When it gets round to business talk, actively listen to what the other person says. And reinforce the most important details of the conversation so that by the end you’ll have taken onboard everything they’ve said and hopefully vice-versa.
People working in customer service roles also promise me that if you smile while you talk, the person on the other end can hear it. Strange but probably true.
### Summary
Here we have covered the basic areas of communication. The issue of blogging and micro-blogging etiquette is another which can be explored. Yet, the same rules apply.
The important point to remember is that good manners in all areas of communication is important, and it shouldn’t be difficult. There are some things in business that are difficult to control, but good communication isn’t one of them.
Quite simply, communication is an easy way to gain a good reputation for swift and pleasant communication.
###### By freelance copywriter [Mel Dixon](/author/mel-dixon)
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###### Image by [Ann Douglas](http://www.flickr.com/photos/anndouglas/1528290674/) ~ [cc](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en_GB)
